Tattered
by Kailsdream
Summary: A tale of the Lady of The West. Born to the rulers of the Eastern territories Kurohime, spent her child hood living the dull life of an Inu princess until her father commits the ultimate betrayal that sets her life on a radical path. I don't own Inuyahsa.
1. Prolouge

Tattered

Prologue

In the cold, on what was such an auspicious night, hushed lullabies filled a small room in the Eastern Palace. On this night when the sky was black and soft like silk and the wind gentle and soothing, despite the chill it brought, a new life was welcomed into the world. A babe of noble blood, beautiful, small and calm slept in her mother's arms being rocked. This child, so new and unaware, took the first breathes of her life in disturbing peace. A babe was meant to cry was it not? Yet this child was still, she seemed almost dignified, too regal to behave like the infant she was, this was the thought that passed through her mother's mind as she gazed upon her in awe and so much love. This night was truly auspicious; but this babe would come to know much suffering in the years to come, for she had been born with one fated flaw that none had yet to realize. The severity of which would guide the flow of her life.


	2. Chapter 1: So Far

Chapter 1

So Far

Little Kurohime played in the large garden of one of many estates her father owned. For the first time in what had been a while she bothered herself with studying her reflection in the pond. She had nowhere to be and no obligations to anyone. Her father was the ruler of the Eastern territories and as such there was an abundance of things under his control. Lands, roads people and demons alike were his and so they were hers. She had been born with the mark, the mark that meant she was meant to rule over her father's lands when the time came for him to step down. Whether this succession would be due to his death; or simply his own free will there were none who denied Kurohime's place as the future ruler of the Eastern lands of the Inu Youaki.

The gorgeous blue moon on her brow made all certain of this, the gorgeous full moon. It was true that their neighbors in the West loved the curve of the crescent moon, the bowed to it, worshiped it, in all its glory. But, here in the East it was the full moon that reigned supreme. There was always a festival on the nights when the full moon rose. All the villages in the territory celebrated, be they inhabited by humans or demons, all saw the full moon as beautiful, powerful and thanked it for its strength and Kurohime counted herself lucky that she had been born with the mark. Still that was not all she had been born with.

While all other females of her race reflected the beauty of the moon in their very being Kurohime did not. The other female Inu youkai had gorgeous white hair that mimicked the color of the pale moon and golden eyes that shine like the light of the yellow harvest moon, Kurohime had been born with black hair and blue eyes. She was an oddity, to some she was a bad omen. There had even been the suspicion that her mother, Shirahime had been unfaithful and betrayed her mate with a human and Kurohime was a half demon. These accusations were quickly dismissed though; they were nothing more than hurtful gossip. A half demon would not be born with the mark; she was a full blooded demon.

Kurohime stopped her musings at her own appearance when she heard someone calling her name. It was her mother. Her mother was a stunning vision, petite and pale, with hair of the purest white. Her eyes had a unique golden quality unlike any of the other women. Her demeanor was calm and whenever Kurohime saw her mother's face she felt hushed and safe under the loving gaze. "Kurohime," her mother called again, this time having the small girl run immediately to her side. "Your father wants to see you." Kurohime nodded and took her mother's hand; she had never spent much time with her father. He simply summoned her whenever the urge to see her arose. Kurohime had become accustomed to this she knew what seeing her father entailed. She would have hair combed; her face washed and forced into some unnecessary, very complicated Kimono. She would be made to stand before her lord father quiet, compliant and try to make him feel no shame in his heir's odd appearance. This was her life so far.

Ok so that's the first actual chapter, sorry it's so wordy, but I don't wanna rush it. Chapter 2 is gonna be coming really, really soon so please check back and be warned it gets violent from here on out.


	3. Chapter 2: Unforseen Circumstances

Chapter 2

Unforeseen Circumstances

Just as she had dreaded, Kurohime was forced into tight complicated clothing. She figured that today must have been a much more important meeting with her father than usual. She only thought so because the kimono she was made to wear very extravagant. It was a color of glorious ivory the depictions of koi and falling blossoms were all embroidered in gold, the silk was so soft that Kurohime childishly made a game of rubbing the sleeve on her face for a quick feel, which earned her a worried look from her mother. "Darling, stop that at once" her mother said in her gentle voice. "You'll wrinkle yourself up and we can't present you that way." Kurohime hung her head at little she wanted to keep feeling the silk on her face, but she behaved and dropped her arms to her side. "Good." her mother smiled warmly taking her hand. "Come and let me comb your hair."

This was a chore that Lady Shirahime would never leave to the servant girls. She adored her daughters unique tresses. She sat Kurohime down and in a room where two other female Inu waited. The elder of the two females Shirahime's eldest sister and the younger was her niece, Kurohime's cousin Mitsumushi. The two young cousins smiled at each other waving and making faces that Mitsumushi's own mother Gisei detested. "How unbecoming" the old woman would said. "You two look like ogres." At this Shirahime laughed, her sister was so serious, but she adored her for it. Every wrinkle that formed on Gisei's ancient face, the lines that formed near her eyes and mouth whenever she scrunched her face in her so often displayed disapproval were dear to Shirahime. "Let them be sister. They are only playing, they love each other." "Honestly!" Gisei griped producing a small oak box from a fold in her own clothing. "You'd think they'd behave more like ladies now, especially you Mitsumushi." She handed the box to her sister who took it still giggling a bit at how impatient Gisei was.

Mitsumushi held her head low for a moment feigning remorse and took advantage of her own mother's turned back to stick her bright pink tongue as far out of her mouth as nature would allow. Kurohime laughed at this quite uncontrollably and old Gisei turned quick as a whip producing her own burst of wind to glare at the happy child. "And you, you think everything is so funny, a woman who opens her mouth so quickly to laugh has no dignity, no self control. You are meant to lead us one day, with any luck I'll have died of boredom in this place long before that happens." "Come now sister." Shirahime tried to calm Gisei. "She will be a fine ruler and bring our lands prosperity. Won't you my love." Kurohime smiled as her mother cupped her cheek before opening the oak box Gisei had brought. She already knew its contents. Inside this box was the beautiful comb that her mother used to untangle her hair. It was made of pure ivory, the elegant curve of the delicate thing was graced by pearls and engraved floral decorations. The largest of the flowers sat at the center, this was Kurohime's favorite. She never cared much for pink things, but this one lovely peony had caught her eye even when she was too young to appreciate the richness of such a thing.

She bowed her head back and let her mother run the teeth of the comb through her hair. Shirahime smiled at her beautiful daughter humming lovingly as she scratched soothingly at her scalp. She hummed a song of peace one of compassion and joyous love. It was a song that Kurohime was familiar with and though she would never admit it herself, she would hum it whenever she felt sad or even when she felt so much joy that she could find no other way to describe it. The beautiful comb was set aside and Kurohime's hair was twisted and pinned into what she considered a ridiculous fashion, one that belonged on someone meant to be married not on a small girl on her way to spend a few moments with her father.

Nonetheless she was prepared and her sign to head on her way to him came soon after the last obnoxious crystal decoration was placed in her hair. Another female walked into the room, one of her father's servants, Kurohime recognized her. "Lady Shirahime " she said addressing only her rulers mate. "Lord Jinsoku is ready to receive his daughter. Her emphasizes that she must come quickly. "Fine then." Shirahime said handing the oak box and comb to the servant."Have this put away; come Kurohime, your father must miss you so." The little princess took her mother's hand and was lead away. Gisei roughly snatched her own daughters hand lead Mitsumushi on to do her lessons. Soon after the noble women had all left the room the lone servant still stood holding the oak box and ivory comb. She threw them crudely onto the floor. In the sleeves of her own Kimono she had hidden oil and a match and after dousing the harshly discarded items lit them a blaze. "Filthy." She uttered and watched the oak box and comb char and burn.


End file.
